B. Gingrich: I have no idea. And the next time I see him I'll ask him. I don't think we were any more dysfunctional in any way. Everybody had their place. Everybody had their...I just can't help you here. Because maybe I was too close to the problems here. Maybe we were dysfunctional. I don't think we were.

Q: What were your feelings on the occasion when he was sworn in as Speaker of the House?

B. Gingrich: Well, I was very proud. The report was that I did not stand up for the standing ovation. Well, my sentiment is, a standing ovation from me means nothing. A standing ovation from his compatriots means a hell of a lot. That is why I didn't stand up.

Q: So there was no edge or anything?

B. Gingrich: No. No envy, no malice or nothing else, I just didn't stand up.

Q: Even though he wasn't in the military himself, there is a fondness and it's obvious. And an interest, more importantly, in the military culture and in things military. May we have your view on that?

B. Gingrich: Well, when you're around the military for as long as he was, some of it has to rub off. He may admire the way that the military accomplishes things. And he does admire the military and he has a great interest as a historian in wars and battles and he just carried that over to present-day military operations in life. That's all.

Q: Speaking of that. By the time Newt was teaching school in West Georgia, some of his ideas were about futuristic things and all of that. Did any of those ever strike you as being, sort of blue sky?

B. Gingrich: We never discussed it. Him in Georgia and me in Pennsylvania--if we met once a year that was pretty good. At that particular time. Now we see more of each other because we go down for elections and this kinda stuff. But at that time, with two young children, Candace was a young child and it was mother and son and family to family and this kinda stuff. We never sat down and got philosophical about this.

Q: So you didn't advise for example, or presume to participate in the election campaigns.

B. Gingrich: No. Advise? How could I advise? I'm, when it comes to politics, I'm strictly a babe in the woods and likely to remain so.

Q: Do you ever worry about him?

B. Gingrich: Only his physical safety. Of course, that's being taken care of. But that's the only possibility. I don't worry about his ability or his capability to handle situations that arise.

Q: How do you explain the fact that he became such a lightening rod, such a target for the passionate feelings of opposition?

B. Gingrich: [Chuckling] And support. Passionate feelings go both ways. He's just a dynamic person. I mean, you either love him or you hate him. And he's the kind of person that you can't ignore. So you do, you love or you hate him. He's gonna be in your face at all costs. One way or the other.

Q: Does that make you kinda proud?

B. Gingrich: Well, sure. Sure. If you're gonna do something be good at it. And he definitely is good at what he's doing.